Three Foreign Soldiers Killed In Afghan Chopper Crash

KABUL (Reuters) -- Three soldiers from the NATO-led force were killed in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan, a spokesman for the alliance in Afghanistan said on July 7.

The helicopter crashed on takeoff from a base in Zabul, southern Afghanistan. The dead were two Canadians and a Briton, ISAF said, while two other Canadians were also injured.

"An airwing flight safety investigation is under way and it has determined that the crash did not occur as a result of enemy fire," Major Luc Gaudet a spokesman for NATO said.

The incident happened on July 6 when seven U.S. soldiers were killed in separate Taliban attacks in various parts of Afghanistan.

The crash comes as thousands of U.S. Marines and hundreds of other NATO troops, as well as Afghan forces have launched an operation last week to wrest control of several districts of southern Helmand, from Taliban control.